Biomaterial Database

Rotations of macromolecules affect nonspecific biological responses to magnetic fields. 2018

Vladimir N Binhi, and Frank S Prato

Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Moscow, 119991, Russia.

We have previously proposed that there are at least two initial molecular transduction mechanisms needed to explain specific and nonspecific biological effects of weak magnetic fields. For the specific effect associated with animal magnetic navigation, the radical pair mechanism is the leading hypothesis; it associates the specialised magnetic sense with the radical pairs located in the eye retina. In contrast to the magnetic sense, nonspecific effects occur through the interaction of magnetic fields with magnetic moments dispersed over the organism. However, it is unlikely that the radical pair mechanism can explain such nonspecific phenomena. In order to explain these, we further develop our physical model for the case of magnetic moments residing in rotating molecules. It is shown that, in some conditions, the precession of the magnetic moments that reside on rotating molecules can be slowed relative to the immediate biophysical structures. In terms of quantum mechanics this corresponds to the mixing of the quantum levels of magnetic moments. Hence this mechanism is called the Level Mixing Mechanism, or the LMM. The results obtained are magnetic field-dependences that are in good agreement with known experiments where biological effects arise in response to the reversal of the magnetic field vector.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D010944	Plants	Multicellular, eukaryotic life forms of kingdom Plantae. Plants acquired chloroplasts by direct endosymbiosis of CYANOBACTERIA. They are characterized by a mainly photosynthetic mode of nutrition; essentially unlimited growth at localized regions of cell divisions (MERISTEMS); cellulose within cells providing rigidity; the absence of organs of locomotion; absence of nervous and sensory systems; and an alternation of haploid and diploid generations. It is a non-taxonomical term most often referring to LAND PLANTS. In broad sense it includes RHODOPHYTA and GLAUCOPHYTA along with VIRIDIPLANTAE.	Plant
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012399	Rotation	Motion of an object in which either one or more points on a line are fixed. It is also the motion of a particle about a fixed point. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Clinorotation,Clinorotations,Rotations
D046911	Macromolecular Substances	Compounds and molecular complexes that consist of very large numbers of atoms and are generally over 500 kDa in size. In biological systems macromolecular substances usually can be visualized using ELECTRON MICROSCOPY and are distinguished from ORGANELLES by the lack of a membrane structure.	Macromolecular Complexes,Macromolecular Compounds,Macromolecular Compounds and Complexes,Complexes, Macromolecular,Compounds, Macromolecular,Substances, Macromolecular
D055592	Biophysical Phenomena	The physical characteristics and processes of biological systems.	Biophysical Concepts,Biophysical Processes,Biophysical Phenomenon,Biophysical Process,Biophysical Concept,Concept, Biophysical,Concepts, Biophysical,Phenomena, Biophysical,Phenomenon, Biophysical,Process, Biophysical,Processes, Biophysical
D060526	Magnetic Fields	Areas of attractive or repulsive force surrounding MAGNETS.	Magnetic Field,Field, Magnetic,Fields, Magnetic
D018523	Tropism	The directional growth of an organism in response to an external stimulus such as light, touch, or gravity. Growth towards the stimulus is a positive tropism; growth away from the stimulus is a negative tropism. (From Concise Dictionary of Biology, 1990)	Tropisms
D065854	Spatial Navigation	Process by which organisms use various cues to develop a route to a destination and their ability to travel such a planned route.	Spatial Ability,Spatial Visualization,Abilities, Spatial,Ability, Spatial,Navigation, Spatial,Navigations, Spatial,Spatial Abilities,Spatial Navigations,Spatial Visualizations,Visualization, Spatial,Visualizations, Spatial